Convertible article of furniture.



M. SWITZER. CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.26, 1909.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

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coLuMulA PLANOGRAPH CU-IWASHINGTON. Dv c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE SWITZER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, MAURICE Swrrznn, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Convertible Articles of Furniture, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, form ing a part of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in convertible articles of furniture, the object of the present invention being to provide an article of this kind which can be converted at will into a chair or table and into a third article of furniture, as, for eX- ample, a screen for a fire place or room corner.

As a full understanding of the improve ments of the present invention can best be had from a detailed description of an or ganization embodying the same, such description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation in the direction of the arrow 1, (Fig. 3) Fig. 2 an edge view, and Fig. 3 a top view of an artic e of furniture embodying the present invention, the same being shown with its several parts or sections folded or unfolded, as the case may be, to form a screen for a fire place, room corner, or the like. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the same in the direction of the arrow 4 (Fig. 3). Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional elevation, and Fig. 6 a perspective view, of the device converted into a chair. Fig. 7 is a vertical elevation, partly in section, and Fig. 6 a perspective view, of the device converted into a table. Fig. 9 is a sectional detail, on an enlarged scale, of certain parts of the device. Figs. 10 to 14 are sectional details illustrating locking devices by which certain of the parts are locked together.

Referring to said drawings, 1, 2, 3, repre sentthe three main sections or members of the device, suitably hinged together at 4 so as to be readily folded or unfolded horizontally, one on the other, according as the device is to be converted into a screen, chair or table. When unfolded to nearly their fullest extent,- these three members form a screen (Figs. 14), which may be used in front of a fire place, in the corner of a room, or elsewhere. The height of the screen thus formed is or may be increased by the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 26, 1909.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Serial No. 529,857.

unfolding vertically of three other members 5, 6, 7, suitably hinged horizontally to the members 1, 2, 3, respectively, these three members being shown in their unfolded condition in Figs. 1 to 4. All of these sections are preferably made of wood, and to add to the attractiveness of the device, the sections 1, 2, 3, are paneled, as shown, and sections 1, 3, are additionally cut away near their lower ends to form legs 8. Member 2 has also hinged to it horizontally, at 9, vertically folding member 10, which, when the device is used as a screen, is folded down to the vertical position shown in Fig. 1. Sections 5, 7 in the downwardly folded or horizontal positions form arm rests when the device is converted into a chair, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and also serve as supports for the table top, when the device is converted into a table, the table top being provided by the section 6, which is. provided with hinged leaves 6 and which, when unfolded, make, with the section 6, a table top of circular form. Section 10 when folded upwardly when the device is converted into a chair, forms the seat thereof, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and when the device is converted into a table forms a shelf beneath the table top for the reception of glasses or any other articles which it may be desired to place there. Sections 5 and 7 are secured to sections 1, 3, respectively, by ordinary hinges 11, as they merely fold up and down. Section 6, however, is secured to section 2 by links 12, each hinged at one end, at 13, to the upper edge of section 2, and at its other end, midway of the length of section 6, so

that said section 6 may be folded into a vertical position on either side of section 2, according as the device is to be used as a screen, as in Figs. 1 to 4, or is to be used as a chair, Figs. 5 and 6, and so that it may also be folded into a horizontal position to form a table top, as in Figs. 7 and 8. The section 3 is chamfered on its opposite faces in line with the links 12, so as to provide recess for said links and thus enable the turn, held snugly against the face of section 2 by means of a sliding latch 15 mounted in the upper end of section 2, which is adapted to engage a plate 16 in section 6, when section 3 is folded to a vertical position in converting the device into a screen, and to enter another recess and engage another plate 17 when section 2 is folded into its other vertical posit-ion on the opposite side of section 2, when the device is converted into a chair.

When the device is used as a screen, the only latching devices necessary are the latch 15 and latch plate 16. When the device is used as a chair or table, however, latch 15 and latch plate 17 are not only necessary,but also supporting devices are necessary for holding the several sections together and properly supporting them. These additional latching devices will now be described in connection with the operation of folding the device into a chair or table form.

Assuming the several sections to be in tln unfolded positions illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, that is to say, to form a screen, and that it is desired to convert the device into a chair, section 6 will first be folded over into vertical position on the other side of section 2, and into the position shown in Fig. 5; section 10 will then be folded upwardly in a horizontal position as indicated in said figure, and sections 1, 3 folded inwardly toward each other and said section 10, sections 5, 7 being then folded downwardly into horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and thus forming arm rests for the chair. Section 10, which is to form the seat of the chair, is supported in its horizontal position by the sections 1, 3, which, as best shown in Fig. 6, is of greater thickness at its lower end so as to provide shoulders 18, on which the seat 10 in its horizontal position will rest. Seat section 10 and side sections 1, 3, which will form the sides of the chair, are held securely together by means of studs 19 carried by the seat section 10, and which in this position of the sections 10, 1 and 3, entei recesses 20 in the shouldered portion 18 oi the sections 1, 3, and pass through and interlock with spring catches 21 therein (see Figs. 13, 1 1). These lower thickened portions of the sections 1, 3 are utilized for a further purpose, namely, that of providing recesses for sliding drawers 22 for contain ing cards or the like. Means are also rovided for supporting the sections 5, in their horizontal position, where they form arm rests, the means so provided consisting of ornamental cleats 23 secured to the sections 1, 3. When the arm sections 5, 7 are of considerable length, as shown, such additional supports are desirable and probably necessary, but if these sections should be of very narrow width, such additional supports would probably be unnecessary. These arm rests, however, are made of considerable width not merely for the purpose of making the chair attractive in appearance, but also for a usual purpose which will be hereinafter referred to.

To convert the device into a table, the several sections are folded and secured together as in converting the device into a chair, and when they have been thus folded and secured in position, the section 3 is folded from the position in which it is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, upwardly into the horizontal position in which it is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, its side wings 6 being then folded outwardly and downwardly into horizontal position, as shown in said figures. It is desirable, and, perhaps, necessary to securely hold the sec tion 6 with its wings 6 in this position, and for this purpose section 6 is provided with two hooks 2 1 pivotally mounted therein, and which normally occupy the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 4c and 10, in which position they are held by a spring 25 engaging one flattened portion of the arm of the hook 2 1 near the pivot thereof. In folding section 6, however, to the horizontal position shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the hooks 24 will be moved outwardly to a position at right angles to section 6, as shown in Fig. 11, and then have their hooked ends introduced into recesses in with by the springs 25, which in this position of the hooks 24, will engage another flattened portion of the arm thereof near its pivotal connection with section 6. It is also desirable that the folding wings 6 should be securely supported in their unfolded posi tion, and for this purpose the sections 5, 7 are made of the width shown so as to support these side wings 6 at a considerable distance from their hinged connection with section 6.

The device as shown in the drawings and as heretofore described embodies the invention in what is considered to be its preferred form, but it is to be understood that modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

WVhat I claim is 1. A convertible article of furniture comprising a vertical central section, two substantially rectangular horizontally swinging screen sections each hinged to said central section and arranged to be swung into substantial alinement with each other and also to positions crosswise thereof, and a vertically swinging table top section hinged to said vertical section and arranged to rest upon said screen sections when the latter are swung to their said crosswise positions and to be folded downwardly behind the central section when said screen sections are swung into alinement with each other, substantially as described.

2. A convertible article of furniture comprising a vertical central section, two substantially rectangular horizontally swinging screen sections each hinged to said central section and arranged to be swung into substantial alinement with each other and also to positions crosswise thereof, and a vertically swinging table top section hinged to said vertical section and arranged to rest upon said screen sections when the latter are swung to their said crosswise positions and to be folded downwardly behind the central section when said screen sections are swung into alinement with each other, said screen sections being provided with horizontally hinged upwardly and downwardly swinging sections, substantially as described.

3. A convertible article of furniture comprising a vertical central section, two sub stantially rectangular horizontally swinging screen sections each hinged to said central section and arranged to be swung into substantial alinement with each other and also to positions crosswise thereof, and a vertically swinging table top section hinged to said vertical section and arranged to rest upon said screen sections when the latter are swung to their said crosswise positions and to be folded downwardly behind the central section when said screen sections are swung into alinement with each other, said screen sections being provided on their adjacent faces with shouldered portions 18, and said central section with a seat section 10 resting upon such shouldered portions when said screen sections are folded to their crosswise positions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAURICE SWITZER.

lVitnesses:

JNo. J. DONOHUE, J. A. Gunvns,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

